For Secwepemcts铆n language and culture teacher Danikka Murphy, learning her traditional language changed the trajectory of her life.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 what saved my life. It gave me purpose again,B次元官网网址� said Murphy.

Murphy began teaching Secwepemcts铆n, the Indigenous language of the region, at 脡cole Nesika Elementary in Williams Lake three years ago, and recently, started posting Secwepemcts铆n language videos on TikTok as a way to give students (and others interested in learning Secwepemcts铆n) more resources.

Her TikTok channel, , contains videos of her speaking Secwepemcts铆n. In one lesson, she provides basic greetings and in others, goes over the Secwepemcts铆n alphabet, plants and autumn-themed words.

WhatB次元官网网址檚 astounding is Murphy only started learning Secwepemcts铆n two years prior to her teaching.

Her uncle, Cody William, had just started teaching Secwepemcts铆n at Thompson Rivers University (TRU) in Williams Lake and encouraged Murphy to join his class.

B次元官网网址淚t just clicks,B次元官网网址� she said, noting she only spoke English and a few words of Chilcotin growing up.

Her mother, TsilhqotB次元官网网址檌n and a residential school survivor, and her father of European descent, Murphy grew up in Williams Lake and described being a B次元官网网址渉alf-breedB次元官网网址� as difficult, feeling lost for a long time. By the age of 10, she began drinking, which became scary really fast, she said.

When she was 14, she realized this wasnB次元官网网址檛 the life she wanted to live and committed to getting sober. She joined an Alcoholics Anonymous group B次元官网网址� which she felt silly attending at first, claiming she was only attending for the many birthday cakes, but then realized she wasnB次元官网网址檛 alone. Today, sheB次元官网网址檚 been sober for over 12 years. Of course, the journey wasnB次元官网网址檛 just that easy. She lost a lot of friends during the sobriety process, she said.

In 2013, she had her first son when she was 16 and began the juggle of parenting, completing high school and working part-time at Walmart, which turned full-time due to financial strain. Despite her B次元官网网址渟evere lack of confidence,B次元官网网址� she graduated on time as valedictorian from Skyline Alternate School in 2014 while her son attended daycare during the day. She described her valedictorian speech as ridiculous.

B次元官网网址淚 couldnB次元官网网址檛 people back then. I couldnB次元官网网址檛 even do this, couldnB次元官网网址檛 even look up,B次元官网网址� she said to the Tribune.

Her second son was born in 2015 and she described being a young mom as B次元官网网址渋solating enough.B次元官网网址� At this point, she was just surviving.

B次元官网网址淏ut you know, we find fun in simple moments, right? You get creative.B次元官网网址�

Her first daughter was born in 2017 at 33 weeks, sadly only surviving five hours. Only days later, her family evacuated up to Prince George to get away from the wildfires. Wrapped in grief, she stayed focused on her boys, turning B次元官网网址渆very little thing into an adventure.B次元官网网址� Her oldest son, then four, was aware of his sisterB次元官网网址檚 passing and also trying to cope.

B次元官网网址淚 wanted them to see that B次元官网网址� your world can be totally burned to the ground, but as long as we have each other, we can do anything.B次元官网网址�

During this time, she began learning Secwepemcts铆n and recalled her dad smiling while listening to her speak it B次元官网网址� for he knew she had found something special. Her father passed away in 2019 just days before she aced one of her final exams. 

At this point, Murphy had already left Walmart and began working at the mill doing weekend cleanup. In 2020, right before the pandemic began, she was pregnant with her fourth child. She worked up until 30 weeks and then stopped, which, with the slower pace, brought on significant stress and panic surrounding her pregnancy. She reluctantly reached out to a counsellor.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 the devil you know, or the devil you donB次元官网网址檛 know,B次元官网网址� she laughed.

Thankfully, seeing a counsellor helped.

Her second daughter was born in 2020 and three years later, is a happy little girl who has a B次元官网网址渂estieB次元官网网址� at daycare. She affectionately calls her children her B次元官网网址渨ild bunch,B次元官网网址� and continues to want more for them. Her kids also keep her grounded, she said.

For three days a week, Murphy works at Williams Lake First Nation as the Community Cultural Assistant and for the other two days, sheB次元官网网址檚 teaching at Nesika.

For Murphy, sheB次元官网网址檚 determined to instill confidence into her students, channelling the energy of the late Ella Gilbert who taught and inspired Murphy when she was a child attending Marie Sharpe.

B次元官网网址淲hen I speak the language, I try and stand up straight. I speak all the Secwepemcts铆n and then I translate, depending on where I am,B次元官网网址� Murphy said. B次元官网网址淚 want to see Secwepemcts铆n spoken everywhere comfortably.B次元官网网址�

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